By Ross Montgomery and Mark Beech

Prepare for Sports Day carnage as the Montagues and Capulets battle for the House Medal in this laugh-out-loud Shakespeare-inspired drama from Ross Montgomery.

Top school athletes Dom and Blake have been best friends for ever – B and D, D-Dog and B-Unit, the Cool Combo … But with Sports Day approaching, their friendship is suddenly under threat. Mr Fortune, their headmaster, has pitted the school houses against each other by naming them after characters from his favourite Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet. With Dom in Montague House facing Blake from Capulet House, will B and D end the day as mortal enemies or will brotherly love prevail?

Prepare for Sports Day carnage as the Montagues and Capulets battle it out for the House Medal in this laugh-out-loud Shakespeare-inspired drama from Ross Montgomery!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jan 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781800902329

Ross Montgomery

Ross Montgomery is the award-winning children’s author of bestselling middle grade fiction and picture books, including the Costa Children's Book Award shortlisted The Midnight Guardians, The Chime Seekers, and Ten Delicious Teachers. He previously worked as a primary school teacher and now tours the country for school events and festivals.

Book preview

To all the BFF-4-Evaaaaaaaas

CONTENTS

Title Page

Dedication

1 Two Households

2 Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

3 Ready, Steady, Woe!

4 They Stumble That Run Fast

5 You Can’t Lose the Game if You Don’t Play the Game

6 Palm to Palm

7 Violent Ends

Copyright

CHAPTER 1

Two Households

I sped down the running track as fast as I could. The wind whipped my face and stung my eyes, but nothing could stop me now. My arms were pumping and my heart was racing. I threw myself across the finish line and fell to the track, panting.

Blake! How did I do? I asked my best friend, looking up. Did I beat my fastest time?

Blake didn’t reply. He stood beside the track, playing with his phone as usual. It took Blake a few seconds to realise I had just asked him a question.

Huh? he said. Oh, sorry, Dom. I didn’t know you’d started.

I scowled. You were supposed to be timing me!

Blake rolled his eyes. So? he said. "You always win the hundred metres on Sports Day. You’re the best sprinter in school!"

"Well, you’re best at hurdles!" I replied.

Blake grinned back. And don’t forget, we’re both good at …

The relay race! we said at the same time.

Blake and I were always thinking the same thing at the same time.

Blake pulled me to my feet. Come on – I’m starving, he said. Let’s go and get some—

Lunch! I said.

Wow! gasped Blake. I was just thinking that!

Me too! I said.

We strolled off to the lunch hall with our arms around each other. It was so lucky that the two best athletes in New Forest Academy were also the two bestest best friends!

Blake and I were the perfect team. We did everything together: training for races, acting in the school drama club, copying each other’s homework. We were like two peas in a pod – but if the peas were also really cool and great at sports. All the kids in school called us